


A Marriage Proposal

by jackkellys



Series: I Think I’m Gonna Marry You [1]
Category: Newsies (1992), Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: 80s movies, Anxiety, Country Music, Fluff, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Mention of Panic Attack
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-05
Updated: 2018-09-05
Packaged: 2019-07-07 04:59:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,876
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15901362
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jackkellys/pseuds/jackkellys
Summary: Five times David tries to propose.





	A Marriage Proposal

There were four things that made Jack the happiest: 80s movies, country music, his friends and hopefully David. Jack always claimed David made him the happiest man alive which is why David decided he should make the move himself. They had been together for almost five years, wasn't that long enough? He had known Jack longer than five years though, they had been friends since the eighth grade.

 

David knew he wanted to be with Jack for the rest of his life, didn't Jack want that as well? Perhaps it was all fake and it was some sick joke, perhaps Jack had never actually wanted to be with David but he was dared—David quickly shakes his head. 

 

David raises his head to look at the man himself, dancing to some country song on the radio as he made them dinner. He smiles and looks back down at the writing assignment on the table. David pats the pocket of his old khaki pants and smiles even wider.

 

"Hey, Davey—" Jack says and reaches over to turn down the volume of the radio, "Do you want this?"

 

David looks to where Jack was pointing and stares, "What is it?"

 

Jack shrugs, "Medda sent the recipe, it's from Pinterest..."

 

Jack had a problem with eating weird foods or weird combinations and Medda always let him. Now that Jack was out of the house and couldn't have Medda tried it, she always sent him Pinterest recipes. David wished she would stop, but then again it's another thing that makes Jack...Jack.

 

He laughs and gets out of his seat to take a closer look, "What exactly's in it?"

 

Jack shrugs again and pulls out his phone, "Noodles...cheese...weird vegetables—it's not the weirdest thing it just looks gross."

 

"It looks disgusting," David agrees, "I'll eat some."

 

Jack grins and grabs two plates, scooping the poorly made dinner out of the pan. They tap their forks together before taking a bite of the food.

 

"Not that bad!" Jack says excitedly over a mouth of noodles and cheese. David had tried to get Jack to stop with the disgusting habit, but Jack never did. 

 

"It's okay," David nods, it wasn't the worst thing Jack had ever made him try.

 

Jack grins and David allows him to have his plate as well, and heats up leftovers from the other night.

 

Later that night, when Jack was in shower, David placed the ring back in his nightstand.

 

—

 

David thought about the ring in his nightstand when he and Jack were having a movie night with their group of friends.

 

Jack and David were hosting it that Friday, and (as always) Jack had chosen some old movie to watch. David couldn't remember the name of it but it was some cheesy rom-com about a poor girl going out with some rich guy, but her best friend was actually in love with her. David did remember that it was one of Jack's top ten.

 

David moved his attention from the movie to Spot and Race who were definitely "not cuddling" in the corner, Spot would occasionally whisper some comment about the movie and Race would smile and shake his head. David looked over to Sarah and Katherine who were disgustingly adorable and not paying attention to the movie at all as they were whispering back forth. He glanced at Romeo who was watching the movie as if it was the most important thing and Specs was busy watching him as if he was the most important thing...and Romeo usually was. Finally, David turned to look at Jack. He was grinning as the movie played, his arms wrapped around David's middle as his head laid against his shoulder.

 

He wanted to stay like this forever.

 

"What?" Jack asks after a few minutes, looking up at David.

 

"Nothing," David smiles and kisses him softly.

 

Jack pulls away first and turns back to the TV, "My favorite part is next..."

 

David laughs and turns his attention to the screen where one of the characters began to lip-sync to the song playing and dancing. He looks back down at Jack who was also mouthing along to the words.

 

When the scene was over, Jack looks back up at David with a grin, "I'll do that for you someday."

 

"I'd be honored."

 

David doesn't think about the ring again.

 

—

 

The third time David remembered the ring in his nightstand was when they were at Medda's. Sunday's were Medda days...and football days.

 

Jack was on the couch arguing with Spot and Smalls about which team would win. He was wearing a Giants jersey (Jack had bought them both matching jerseys), whereas Spot and Smalls were both wearing (what David assumed was) Patriots jerseys.

 

The only sport David liked was baseball and yeah, maybe it was only because of how good Jack looked in baseball pants.

 

He smiled and walked back into the kitchen where Race and Medda were trading salad recipes. David didn't know there were so many ways to make a salad until he met Medda and Race.

 

David leans on the counter top and sighs, "I'm gonna ask him to marry me."

 

He doesn't realize he's said it out loud until Race stares at him with wide eyes and Medda squeals.

 

"Is everything okay?" David hears Jack call.

 

"Fine!" Race quickly shouts back, eyes still wide.

 

"David..." Medda speaks up, "You're gonna ask Jack?"

 

David shrugs, "Maybe."

 

"Don't you think you're a little young..." Race begins.

 

"Twenty-two is a fine age to get married," Medda defends, "I got married...or at least what we considered marriage, at nineteen."

 

David glances over at the picture of Medda and her wife and smiles.

 

"Yeah, but..." Race thinks for a minute, "Wouldn't you want to wait til after college?"

 

"No," David shakes his head, "That's years away."

 

Race nods.

 

"Why...you not want me to marry Jack?" David asks quietly, "Besides I haven't done it yet."

 

Medda reaches over and takes David's hands, "Oh, it will be so wonderful. When are you planning on doing it?"

 

David shrugs, "Whenever it just...feels right, you know? I have a ring already, I kind of bought it impulsively."

 

Medda grins widely, David was kind of afraid, "How sweet! I just know he'll say yes!"

 

David grins as well, Medda's reassurance easing his nerves. However his mood slightly dampens when he  notices Race's sour look.

 

After dinner, when they were all focused on the football game, David noticed Race slip outside. David excused himself and followed.

 

"Hey," David says, taking a seat beside Race on the porch swing.

 

Race doesn't reply as he lights a cigarette.

 

"Are you okay?" David asks this time, "You seem kind of...down."

 

"Down?" Race laughs, "No, I'm okay."

 

David tries not to grimace at the smell of cigarette smoke, "Are you sure?"

 

Race doesn't say anything so David takes it as a no.

 

"It's just..." Race pauses and David looks over at him.

 

"It's just...what if when you guys get married, Spot realizes he doesn't want to wait forever either?" Race asks.

 

David isn't really sure what to say, he had never even imagined Spot and Race dating much less getting married.

 

"It's dumb," Race quickly says, "I shouldn't even be worrying about it, I don't know why—" He begins rambling to himself and David frowns.

 

"Race," David says, "I know Spot will be happy with waiting if that's what you want. If you wanted to get married at sixty five, I'm sure Spot would be right there waiting."

 

"Yeah..." Race nods, "It's dumb."

 

"It's not dumb," David disagrees.

 

Race shrugs, “I just I don’t even know what I want to do with my life yet and Spot has had his whole life planned since he was sixteen and he’s stuck to it since.”

 

“I don’t think Spot planned out when he would get married.”

 

Race looks up at David and frowns, “You really forgetting Spot‘s best friend is your sister?”

 

“No…I remember it well, actually.”

 

“Okay then you know Spot has it planned out.”

 

David can’t help but laugh, Race soon joins in.

 

“Hey, is everything okay?” Spot asks, peaking his head out the door.

 

“Yeah,” Race nods, “It’s fine.”

 

David doesn’t think about marriage for the rest of the night.

 

—

 

The fourth time David thinks about marrying Jack is after sex. Jack’s still clinging to him and pressing soft kisses to his neck and David can’t help but smile. He’s tapping some song on Jack’s side as he lies beside him, eyes focused on his nightstand drawer.

 

“Davey,” Jack whispers and props himself up on his elbows, “I love you.”

 

“I love you too,” David whispers back and Jack lays down on David’s chest.

 

After-sex Jack is one of David’s favorites Jack. He’s always so careful and calm, not that David doesn’t love rough and loud Jack, there’s just something about that makes David’s heart skip beats.

 

Jack hums quietly and David is a hundred percent sure it’s that stupid song from that stupid movie they watched last month on movie night.

 

David slowly begins to reach for the box hiding in his nightstand but he quickly changes his mind.

 

If he proposed right now, they would have to constantly retell how David proposed after sex. What kind of engagement story is that? Imagine having to tell you friends, family, kids that you got engaged after sex? David feels himself flush at the thought of his parents reaction. They would have no idea how to react, they still believe David to be their nice, Jewish, virgin son.

 

“David,” Jack says and he looks down at him.

 

“Hm?”

 

“Did you hear anything I just said?”

 

“No?” David says sheepishly.

 

Jack laughs and sits up, “I asked if you wanted to shower?”

 

David feels a blush grow from his cheeks and down his neck. Jack only smirks and kisses him.

 

—

 

David was close to a panic attack. Not exactly but he knew it was close. He was pacing in front of the bathroom mirror, going over his speech in his head.

 

He checked his dress pants pocket to make sure the simple gold band was still there. He could do this.

 

David straightened his tie and left the restroom, searching for Jack in the crowd of people. It was some fancy party Katherine’s parents were hosting, and just to spite her parents, Katherine had invited all her friends in a relationship.

 

David, impulsively, had grabbed the ring while Jack was waiting outside of the apartment. He decided he would do it sometime tonight, he growing impatient. He just wanted to be able to call Jack his husband.

 

It wouldn’t be hard to find Jack on account that his suit made him look like he actually walked out of an 80s movie, which is probably what Jack was going for. He also knew that Jack was probably by the food table seeing how many macaroons he could shove into his mouth.

 

And David was right, however; Jack was accompanied by Race, who was also stuffing his face as Spot cheered them on.

 

David rolled his eyes but couldn’t help but smile.

 

“Hi, Davey!” Jack says mouth full of colorful macaroons.

 

“Jack, that’s disgusting,” David frowns.

 

Jack grins and finishes eating them.

 

“You beat me Race,” Jack sighs, “Your mouth is bigger than it looks.”

 

Race grins triumphantly, although he was also still trying to swallow the macaroons.

 

“You should have believed me when I told you, Jack,” Spot replies and wraps an arm around Race’s waist.

 

“Ew,” Jack shudders and turns away from them. “So, how are you enjoying the evening, Dave?”

 

David shrugs, “It’s alright.”

 

He’s suddenly aware of all the people around him and how crowded it actually is. David could never propose to Jack in a place like this, especially when they’re dressed like this. It’s not them.

 

“You alright?” Jack says.

 

“Just thinking,” David responds.

 

“I can tell,” Jack says, “Your eyebrows scrunch together and you just get this look…it’s cute.”

 

David blushes, “Uh…thanks.”

 

Jack nods and takes David’s hand, “C’mon let’s dance.”

 

“Jackie, I hate dancing.”

 

“Davey, I love dancing,” Jack retorts.

 

David sighs but follows him anyways.

 

—

Jack was growing impatient. He had been waiting months for David to propose and every time Jack thinks it’s gonna happen…nothing does.

 

David was terrible at keeping things from Jack, especially when he hid the ring in the nightstand drawer they both used for certain things.

 

Jack already had the idea to propose, he didn’t have a ring, but when he saw David had bought a ring he decided he could wait.

 

But now Jack wished he just would have done it, gotten it over with and they could be married. They could’ve been married months ago! Perhaps, David didn’t actually want to marry Jack and the ring was for some secret lover Jack didn’t know about. Maybe he was having doubts about their relationship which caused him to doubt whether or not they should actually get married.

 

Either way Jack was just gonna have to face it and do it himself. David will have to tell him the truth eventually.

 

It was a Saturday morning and Jack had convinced David to stay in bed a little past nine, before he actually got up. David usually got up, every morning, at eight, so Jack considers nine o’clock a success.

 

Jack found David in the kitchen, swaying to some Beyoncé song he always played. Jack smiled and wrapped his arms around David’s waist.

 

“Good morning,” He says and presses a kiss to David’s cheek.

 

“Morning,” David smiles and reaches up to flatten Jack’s bedhead.

 

“What’re you making?”

 

“Pancakes, as usual,” David says and goes back to humming along to his favorite person in the world (besides Jack of course).

 

Jack smiles and moves to sit at he breakfast bar, watching David work. The song changes, but another Beyoncé song plays and Jack groans.

 

“Can’t we listen to something else?”

 

“I’m not listening to any of the old Taylor Swift,” David replies, “I refuse.”

 

“Her old stuff is the best stuff,” Jack complains.

 

“To you and Romeo, maybe,” David rolls his eyes.

 

“No, Romeo likes her new stuff,” Jack huffs.

 

David sighs, “After this song.”

 

Jack nods and picks at a piece of dried paint on his t-shirt. He sighs and says without thinking, “When are you gonna ask me to marry you?”

 

David stiffens and he nearly drops bowl he was holding.

 

“What?”

 

“I know, Davey,” Jack sighs.

 

“Did Race tell you?” David begins, “Can’t ever keep his mouth shut…”

 

“No,” Jack immediately says, “You’re just not good at hiding things, I saw the ring.”

 

“Maybe that was for Sarah.”

 

“David.”

 

“I’m sorry,” David frowns, “No time seemed right. I tried many many times but I couldn’t—”

 

Jack shrugs, “I’m sorry.”

 

“Why?”

 

“Well now I just kinda ruined it for you,” Jack says, “By proposing to you instead.”

 

“What?” David asks with wide eyes.

 

Jack can’t help but smile as he gets up from the bar and walks towards David, “Marry me.”

 

“I—”

 

“We don’t have all mornin’, Dave, the pancakes…”

 

“I—of course!” David grins.

 

Jack kisses him.

 

“I don’t have a ring,” Jack adds sheepishly, “I thought you’d actually propose.”

 

David rolls his eyes, “Remember that night you made that gross noodle stuff?”

 

Jack nods.

 

“I was gonna propose then,” David smiles, “And then that movie night we hosted and you were so excited to watch that movie…and then at Medda’s…and then after we had sex and then at Katherine’s party.”

 

“A proposal after sex?” Jack thinks for a moment, “How much you wanna bet that’s how Spot and Race propose?”

 

“I personally don’t wanna think about their sex life,” David laughs.

 

Jack laughs as well.

 

“And then I was gonna propose this morning…” David laughs and grabs the box from behind the cookie jar. “But who knows if I would actually muster up the courage.”

 

Jack rolls his eyes fondly as David gets down on one knee, “I know we already settled this but I figure I should go ahead since I never could. I had a big long speech prepared, but I can’t remember a single word right now. It was something about how much I love you and all that cheesy stuff. I think I put a quote from one of those old movies in there—”

 

Jack laughs.

 

“Anyways, I hope you’ll say yes since I already said yes…” David opens the box and Jack pretends to act shocked.

 

“Oh my…” Jack says and covers his mouth. “Yes!”

 

David smiles widely and stand back up, sliding the ring onto his finger.

 

“Maybe we should get you a ring,” Jack suggests as he pulls David closer.

 

“Maybe we should,” David agrees.

 

Jack wraps his arms around David’s waist and kisses him. David tries not to smile but he can’t help it, Jack can’t seem to not smile as well.

 

“I love you,” David mumbles against Jack’s lips.

 

“I love you too,” Jack replies and presses a quick kiss to his lips.

 

“I…” David stops and frowns, “What’s that—”

 

“The pancakes!” Jack shouts dramatically and quickly pushes away from David to see the burning pancakes.

**Author's Note:**

> yeehaw :))


End file.
